Tractor attachment for automobiles



Feb. 18, 1930. H, ARMSTRONG l 1,747,412

y TRACTOR ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June l1. 1928 lnylz f se www@ Patented Feb. 18, 1930 l UNITED s-Ti'iss j rice:

HUGH ARMSTRONG, or MARYVILLE, MissoURr u TRACTOR ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Application filed .Tune 11, 1928; Serial No. 284,420.

The obj ect of this invention is to provide an tics of a tractor. Through the use of this atimproved mechanism whereby an automobile tachment, an automobile of the kind set forth may be quickly and easily transformed into may be employed for traveling from place to a tractor. l place and then be readily transformed into Afurther object oftliis invention is to proa tractor for doing work at various spaced 55 vide an improved attachment for Ford autolocations. mobiles, whereby the rear. or traction wheels Thus, the one vehicle is caused to do and of the automobile may be removed and'slow perform the functionsof both a road vehicle speed traction Wheels substituted therefor to and a tractor and the time and labor ofthe effectively transform the vehicle into a tractor Operator is conserved. 60

or slow speed vehicle having increased power In the accompanying drawings, which ilfor draft purposes. lustrate one embodiment of vmy invention, I

Still another object of this invention is to have shown only enough of the chassis of a Y provide a device of the character described, Ford automobile to illustrate the application which is simple and economical of construc- `of the attachment. .y

tion and is capable of being attached or re- I have employed the numeral 10 to desigmoved Vwith a minimum of labor and in a very nate the tubularl rear axle vhousing of` the short time and which is soarranged as to be automobile, in whichr axle are mounted spinconvenient for lapplyingdraft to a, follower dles 12, adapted to be driven by aA drive vehicle or machine for various purposes. .l shaft 14 through a differential mechanism With these and other objects'in viewmy invlocated in ahousing 16. Normally, thespinvention consists in the construction, arrange? vdles 12 carry the rear or'trac'tion wheels of ment and combination of the variousparts of 'the automobile which I have indicated by my device, whereby the objects contemplated doti-,ed lines in Fig, 1 and designated by the, are attained, as `hereinafter IIlOlG fully Set numerals 18. The automobile construction 75. forth, pOinted Out n my Claims, and 1111 S also includes rear radiusrods 2O which eX- trated in the aCQOHlpaIlyIlg dI2lWI1gS, 1H tend forwardly on converging linesl vfrom which: l y' 1 f y points near Vthe ends of the rear axle hous- Fig. l is a plan view partly in section illusing 10, 1

trating my improved attaChIIlIlt applied t0 My attachment includes an auxiliary frame 80 the rear end portion of the chassis of an alltO- composed of channeled side beams 22 and 24,

mobile. f. y l which are rigidly connected at their rear ends Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on an 11- by an angle cross bar 26'. larged S0316 011th@ 1111 2 2 Of Flg. l. The Side beams' 22l and 24 are arranged Fig. Sisa detail vertical section'on the line with thlflanges downwardly and Said 85 3 3 0f Flg- 2 and lullstfatmg Patulmly beams extend tranversely of and beneath end the methoflof attachmg the tractor-Wheels portions of the rear axle housing 10.. The to the angular-V frame. forward end portionsvof the side beams 2K2 F 1g' 4 1S. a demi Vfrtlcal 590mm Otthe hue and 24 yare bent upwardly somewhat so as to 40 4 4 of Flg' 2 and lllustmtmg Pitrtcularly come in contact with the respective radius the mehod of attachmg the auXlhary frame rods 2O to which they are clampedy by means to the rear axle of the vehicle and also showof u bolts 28 y y l Y l y in@ how the driving pinions are substituted fo; the regular traction wheels of the vehicle. Mounted on the Slfe beams 22 add 24: are My im l.Ovecl attachment ls p8ultlculmly blocks 30, each of which is formed with a con 95 designed or Ford automobiles and is so con- Cave@ upper face t0 recelVe the tubular 3X1@ structed and arranged that it may be very housing 10. The beams 22 and 24 are clamped quickly and easily applied and removed, to the end portions ofthe axle housing 1Q by whereby the automobile may be rapidly transmeans of U bolts 32, in this instance two at 5 formed intoavehicle having the characteriseach end, which U bolts embrace the 'axle 10G p V1n by means of set screws 44. v

afiV y between washers. 52 and'54 and held in place istics O A Eaehof the auxiliary traction vWheels 46 and 48 is rotatably mounted on a spindley or of bolts 38, which extend throughsaid clamp members and through (Fig. 2}in said beams. l f

An auxiliary axle Yhousing* or elongated tubular bearing 42 isV arranged parallelfwith and at therear' ofthe main axlev housing 10 longitudinal slots andsaid auxiliary bearing extends across the side beams 22 and 24 andthroughthe clamp members-34 and 36'and is held rigidl'ylthere- Auxiliary trlactionwheels are provided and are` designated b y the numerals 46 and 48 and said Wheels may be of any approved type .siiita 'le'- forV a vehicle having the .character- A a tractor.

stub axle. member 50. The traction Wheels 4`6and48 are mounted on their spindles 50 byy any suitablek means such as cotte;` keys 56'.

f v Thespindles 50 are designed tov be jremovably andreplaceably mounted fin thevend por'L vtions oit the auxiliary axle or-bearing 42 and g heldntherein byjmeans of v'pins or .bolts 58 'passingfthrough registering apertures and p'referablylocatedA adjacent 'the inner faces mandas. Y

of the respective sidel'beams 34 vand 36. y'

y Whenit'is desired totransform a vehicle into a tractonthe regular rearWheels 18`jare removed from fthe` spindles 12 and pinions 60 are substituted-therefor, 'which are de-y signed to inesh with and drive internal gears`v f 2"ormed on the. kzr'u'ixiliaryY traction wheels The `auxiliar' vyvheelsA46Ua'nd 48 are'pla'ced inf osition byinserting'ntheir stubY axles'r 50 wit' in the @ad portions ofthe auxiliary" tubalar bearing42 and inserting the pins orboltsl 58 to'heiathmin place. 1

' mesh properly with the internal, gearsea'the -clampymembers34 and 36Y are adjstable'on the sidebeams v22 and 24, thereby permitting housing-10." v f y 'llo accomplish this adjustment,`1 have pro-vr vided thefclam'pingmembers 34 and ,36 with YVupturned"'flanges;.'64 at'their Iforward ends,

' n. Y aaaabeit ses iosay mounteathfoagh Veach of the apertures 66 and'hasits forward fend portion bearing'again'stone 'o'f the blocks 30 carried bythe side beamsof 'the auxiliary frame'. The rear' end portions Vof the l 'stud C bolts 68 are threadedand lock nuts 70 and72 arefmounted thereonon oppbsite'sides of the 1 flanges 64. By adjusting the lock nuts 70 and 72, the positions of the clamping members and the parts carried thereby may` be adjusted to bring the pinions into accurate mesh With the internal `gears 62.v

ItWill be noted that an'automobile of kthe kinddescribedmay be permanently equipped With the auxiliary frame/including'theauxill iary tubular bearing 42.

its rear Wheels, as-above stated'and applying the auxiliary traction Wheels 46-and 48A andV the pinions 60 meshing therewith. |This op eration can be performed in a very few minutes byj acking up the'rear endof thevehicle.

It Will thus be, observedl tha-tl 'have Ypro'- vided/convenient meansfor quickly and easily transforming a Yroad vehicle into a tractor and vice versa,.by means of inexpensive and 1 efficient equipment. .i v 2 I c Y rlhe crossbar 26 'at the rearyof theauxiliary frame may be employed for Imaking connecv tions to a vehicle or implementtoA bedrawn by the tractor and for .this purpose I Ahave shown said Ycross beams asfoijmed'with a .plurality o-.apertures 74,. spacedfthrough its length to receive attachment of sui-table draft means,notshown.

When so .equipped,thevehicle canbe read- .Y ily transfri'ned intoVv altractor by removing'y It will be noted thatfthejdraft meansmay n thus be so locatedrelative to the rear Wheels 7 of the v.tractor that thevfollower vehicle mayy s be'staggeredrelative'to thev pathvof travel of. Y v the tractor Without dangerof the'draft means s coming into contact `with saidy lWheels?. since. the cross bar 26 isglocated near therearpoints of the Wheels. I

`i Some changes maybe made the tionandarrangementof the parts of my de-V Y i vice Without departing fromthe. real spi'r-it andvpurpose ofmyinventiongand it is my intention to cover by my claims, anytmodi-v- `fied Jforms of structure oruse o mechanical' m lrequivalents, which may Vbereasonablyzin- -v `eluded Within their scope. y 7.-; v

scribed, comprising afframe ormedofparl v allel side beams and ay crossjbar rigidlyvconr 4nectin'g ltheir `rear ends,v said V'beams ex/t'ind-v in@across the rear axle "of avehicle and-into contactwththe-rear radius rodstliereofyU- bolts for Vclamping thefprv'vard endsofrsaid beams te said maternas-ether ulb-0115s for. no'

clampingintermediateiparts of said beamsto 'the 'vehiclel axle, atubular bearirig member Y 'l secured transversely of said'flfra'rne 'at the rear of the rear' vehicle axle; 'spindles yremovably mounted in end portions of saiditubular beared on said spindles, each of said traction and a pinion carried at'each end of the driving axleof the vehicle and adapted tol mesh lWheels being formed Withjanintern-al gear,v I

25 ing membertraction wheels rotatably mountf With the internal gear of one of said traction Wheels.

2. An attachment of the character ydescribed, comprising a frame formed of a pair of side beams arranged parallel with each other, a cross bar rigidly connecting the rear ends of said side beams, said side beams extending across and beneath the rear axle of a vehicle, clamping members for securing said side beams to said axle, the forward ends of said side beams extending beneath the rear radius rods of the vehicle, clamping members for securing said side beams to said radius rods, a tubular axle member mounted on said side beams at the rear of the vehicle axle, clamping members for securing` said axle member to said side beams, traction Wheels carried at the ends of said axle member, and gear connections between said traction Wheels and the driving axle of the Vehicle.

ADes Moines, Iowa, May 31, 1928.

HUGH ARMSTRONG. 

